Are we loosing our builders to Kit rifles

[Jim Kibler]

No custom building for me anytime soon.  There's no way with business demands.  Maybe someday...  it's also difficult to step back and use less efficient methods.

I still have the urge to make some super high end guns one day and these will probably be a combination of hand work and machining.

[JTR]

Jim,
The few custom guns I've seen of yours are nothing short of spectacular!

Too bad you can't squeeze in the work, but I understand the current business demands.

John

[JH Ehlers]

I hope that we are not going to lose builders to kits. But we never know what will happen in say 25 years. If people who buy guns/art, because that is what Jim Kibler was making before he started making kits, works of art, got payed what some artists get payed he would not even considered starting a kit business. Google Damien Hirst, just an artist that comes to mind. What would you rather have, a cow in formaldehyde or a beautiful gun. Apparently a cow in formaldehyde is more desirable.
More people need to get exposed to this and it seems Jim's kits has done this and it's a good thing. What I am trying to say is that custom gun makers will decline when they not making enough money or when demand declines. Just some tumbleweeds blowing around the inside of my empty scull.

[oldtravler61]

   My thoughts are Jim's kits are basically a custom gun in many ways.
The hard work of shaping and in letting are 99% done. So a custom builder can take it an run with it. That is as long as the customer likes any of the styles that Jim offers. The biggest or maybe not issue is the lop. Inlays, carving, engraving  etc can be accomplished to the customers wants and needs.
  I've seen some pretty impressive guns built with Jim's kits. JMHO

[Steeltrap]

In the mid-1970's, you could buy a T\C kit rifle for about $200. That's 1975 money. Adjusting for inflation, the 1975 dollar is now $5.90. So, take 200 x $5.90= $1,180. Close to a Kibler kit.

But the quality of the Kibler kit today vs the quality of a '75 T\C is night and day. The fit\finish of the Kibler, along with the lock quality and barrel rifling is superior to the old T\C models.

Both will shoot. Both will take big game. One is a "looks close" to what once was, and the other is a "that's what was used back in the day".

Today you can buy a 1970's T\C for about $400. In 50 years I wonder if you could buy a Kibler for $1,300? I'm thinking that would be tough.....but I won't be around to verify that!!

[Bob Gerard]

No custom building for me anytime soon.  There's no way with business demands.  Maybe someday...  it's also difficult to step back and use less efficient methods.

I still have the urge to make some super high end guns one day and these will probably be a combination of hand work and machining.

I can understand your decision 100%. It’s a shame we couldn’t clone you and let the other Jim just do his custom rifles.

[JBulitz]

As a young builder, I'm pressed to chime in.  The publicity surrounding today's kits has to offer has gotten the attention of a very important demographic in which there's a general attention deficit- I started with a cheap commercial kit and it immediately whetted an appetite to build from blanks that I've been feeding ever since.  There are clear economic challenges that would-be "full time" custom builders face now, and I concur with what Dave mentioned earlier about the availability of quality components.  But, I think there will always be folks out there for whom the process and study of building is as valuable as the product. Like most, I have a demanding life outside of my shop- but am still driven to make time for my tedious hobby and do hope it can be more than that someday.  As long as there is (encouraging) community and mentorship surrounding the craft, I'm confident there will always be a few growing builders like myself quietly looking on.

[mossyhorn]

I started with a CVA kit back in the seventies and harvested many squirrels with that rifle. Then progressed to a Thompson center 50 cal. and took deer with that rifle. Then I enrolled in Jims kit building class at western Ky his first class in or around 2016 and became very fond of flintlocks. I've since purchased a SMR from and expertly detailed by Jim Palmer and latter finished a Woods runner. I moved to a custom built East Tenn. rifle from a custom builder His number 777 build and will probably progress further. Jims Kibler kits restarted my fire for this hobby!